


Pillow Talk

by Pinkgrasshopper



Category: Free!
Genre: Established Relationship, Implied Sexual Content, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-25
Updated: 2014-06-25
Packaged: 2018-02-06 05:31:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1846132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinkgrasshopper/pseuds/Pinkgrasshopper
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Honestly, you have to be more mindful of your teeth, Rin-san! Look!” Rei brandished his damaged possession as though reinforcing his point, but all the reaction he earned from his boyfriend was a puff of air blowing feathers away from his eyes. “This is completely falling apart now!"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pillow Talk

"Was this really necessary?"  
  
It took Rei a lot of effort not to yell, but that wrinkle between his eyebrows betrayed all the annoyance his tone had somehow managed to hide. His eyes and hands inspected the source of his troubles, and what was once a pillow kept in pristine condition had now been reduced to a fluffy lump with several tears across the lilac case and white feathers pouring out of the deeper gashes. On the other side of the mattress, Rin tugged at newly replaced covers with something akin to dread stamped over his face; he could think of a million ways to try and escape the inevitable, but he already knew it would all be wasted effort.  
  
"I didn't mean to do it, okay,” He ran a hand over red hair, an attempt at faking nonchalance with only a moderate level of success. In truth, he was more uncomfortable than he would like to admit—he was clearly not very good at this apologizing business. “It just… happened."  
  
"Honestly, you have to be more mindful of your teeth, Rin-san! Look!” Rei brandished his damaged possession as though reinforcing his point, but all the reaction he earned from his boyfriend was a puff of air blowing feathers away from his eyes. “This is completely falling apart now!"  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"What do you mean, _'so'_?! How am I supposed to sleep now?!"  
  
"You can use mine, I don't mind."  
  
"Absolutely not! Yours is so flat and hard it might as well be the same as not having a pillow at all! Which reminds me, we should definitely purchase a new one for you, as well. As an athlete, you should know it's of vital importance not only to maintain a good sleep schedule, but the quality of said sleep, also! I can't even begin to count how many times you toss and turn in bed, it really makes me wonder if you're getting proper rest at all! And besides--"  
  
"Okay, fine, I get it!" Rin cut him off before he missed yet another cue for responding—if left to his own devices, Rei could possibly ramble on from nighttime through the break of dawn. "We'll both get new pillows tomorrow. But until then, you'll have to sleep without one for the night. It's not a big deal. Get over it."  
  
"And you're completely unapologetic about it, to top it off! That settles it, then! This conversation is done!"  
  
There was a loud scoff as Rei plopped down on the bed facing the opposite way, but otherwise Rin kept quiet on that last comment; as much as he prayed his dreams could come true, he knew the other boy just wouldn’t let the argument die without at least another round or two.  
  
It helped that the signs were easy enough to read, so at least Rin could more or less prepare for the incoming rant. The first - and possibly more obvious - clue was the pair of glasses hanging askew on the bridge of his nose; Rei was very careful with those, and no matter how angry he might have been, he wouldn’t really keep them on when planning to sleep. Watching him try to find a comfortable position was quite the show in its own right, too; his attempts at fluffing up the remainders of his pillow looked more as though he had been assaulting a punching bag, and while Rin did feel a pang of guilt at his distress, he couldn’t hold back a chuckle upon hearing the blue-haired boy choking on and coughing up feathers.  
  
That might as well have been the combined sound of his last wish and a death knell.  
  
"What kind of person needs to gnaw at pillows, anyway?" Rei mumbled to himself, still refusing to turn the other way. "For one, that defies basic human behavior and good sense, not to mention it goes against the primary use for them, too--"  
  
"I'll show you yet another use for pillows if you don't shut your goddamn trap this instant, Rei."  
  
" _What?!_ ” Indignant feelings trumping his pride, he finally flipped over to stare at Rin, mouth agape. “So it's not enough that you destroyed my pillow for no rhyme or reason, you also have to threaten to smother me to death?!"  
  
On days when Rin felt the inclination for honesty with himself, he may be caught wondering which of the two had the biggest flair for dramatics; the present time, however, only tipped the scale in Rei’s favor.  
  
"I was thinking more along the lines of hitting you over the head with it, but you probably shouldn't be giving me ideas."  
  
"Unapologetic, rude _and_ dangerous! I don't think I should be sleeping here at all!"  
  
"You're staying put right there, you fucking weirdo!" Rin grabbed his arm before Rei could sit upright and pulled him back down with a little more force than intended, although the realization earned a sigh from him. Another moment and a deep breath later, he decided to make amends of sorts. " _Fine._ If I just tell you why, will you shut up and go to sleep?"  
  
A huff was offered in response, his arms folded in a show of protest. "Hmph, very well. Although an explanation is the least that you owe me, in any case."  
  
Rin could feel his entire face burning up from the sudden influx of blood flow, both furious (he was trying to make peace, why did that idiot have to be so damn difficult, still?) and embarrassed at the prospect of admittance.  
  
"I did it to keep myself quiet, okay?"  
  
“Eh?”  
  
Wide lavender sought furtive red for answers, but Rin refused to cooperate. He had already made a spectacle out of himself, what else did that idiot want from him? It was true he didn’t mind (hell, he even enjoyed) being bottom, but there was no way in hell he was going to provide further ridiculous details and tell Rei about how that had been his last resort to muffle his groaning and shameful, nearly stereotypical moaning – or worse, how he had wanted to scream in the throes of orgasm. No, definitely not— it would give him nightmares for weeks, not to mention the horrors it would do to his boyfriend’s already inflated ego.  
  
Rei’s train of thought, however, had led him to an entirely different path.  
  
"Was it really that… painful?”  
  
In hindsight, Rin thought, maybe a little more elaboration could have spared them both from that question.  
  
"Nothing will ever be as painful as this conversation. _Ever._ "  
  
"Rin-san, I'm serious! I mean, I understand there is always some level of discomfort involved, but it really shouldn't come to a point where you feel the need to scream over it! That's counter-intuitive, to say the least! Furthermore, there are several workarounds to help alleviate the sensation, so perhaps next time we should--"  
  
Dear lord, why were they still having this conversation? " _It wasn't out of pain, Rei._ "  
  
" _Oh._ "  
  
Somewhere in their personal libraries, hiding quietly behind a myriad of swimming lessons and motivational books, there must be a tome preaching that being able to openly discuss sexual aspects in a romantic partnership is the sign of a healthy relationship. Judging from their inability to even look each other in the eye and the ever deepening shade of red on their cheeks, however, one could assume that this was the kind of theoretical knowledge best put to practical use at a later point in life than the awkward teenage years of two young men still struggling for better adjustment.  
  
"So I really didn't... hurt you, did I?"  
  
"Only my pride." Rin gave him a flat look; he was still annoyed on principle, of course, but he had to admit Rei’s concern was equal parts paranoid and endearing. "Man, if I knew we'd be having this conversation-- and over a fucking pillow, no less-- then the alternative would’ve been far less embarrassing."  
  
There was another long pause, and the bespectacled boy tried to decide whether he should feel flattered, guilty or mortified and ashamed. Rin was as unhelpful as ever, rubbing the back of his neck and pointedly avoiding any and all eye contact.  
  
"Sorry." Rei wasn’t really sure what he was saying sorry for anymore, but if his boyfriend’s chuckle was any indication, it didn’t even matter at this point; now the argument was really over.  
  
"I hope it's your high-maintenance ways that you're apologizing for, or else you're even more of a weirdo than I thought."  
  
Before the younger teen had a chance to object and bring their tentative peace to a premature death, Rin tucked one hand between the pillow and his red mane and yanked at a familiar (and terribly gaudy) butterfly-patterned pajama shirt so Rei would lay his head on his arm, blue hair being treated to an idle caress that also doubled as encouragement to keep him close – and, perhaps more importantly, quiet.  
  
"There,” His whisper was gentle and soothing, a stark contrast to his previous snide remarks. “I'll be your pillow for tonight, how does that sound?"  
  
"Rin-san..."  
  
"I swear, if you start complaining that it's not soft enough, or that I move too much, I'll just--"  
  
This time, it was Rei’s turn to interrupt him before the two inadvertently resumed their snarky routine, not with words, but by pressing his lips to the other boy’s. Rin had to admit that was a much more effective way to silence them both— because it kept their mouths mutually busy and minds preoccupied, yes, but mostly because the shared warmth of a kiss vastly took precedence over whatever petty differences they might have.  
  
And it had the added benefit of not settling on a single winner, too, which made for an ideal trump card for whichever side was decidedly losing. He would have to make a mental note to use that more often.  
  
"I was just going to say goodnight, Rin-san."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, sure you were. G'night, pillow freak."  
  
More than a pleased smile, that night they also buried a resolution in each other’s arms: no new pillows would be purchased the following morning.


End file.
